Loading ramp device which rolls up for convenient storage

ABSTRACT

A loading ramp structure is provided which is constructed out of a plurality of relatively small and rectangular links that are joined end to end to form a span of any desired length. Moreover, the manner in which these links are joined together allows the span to be rolled up for storage when it is not in use and to be easily unrolled to form a ridged span when it is to be employed in the loading or unloading of wheeled load materials such as small supplementary vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide amethod by which wheeled vehicles, such as wheelchairs and utilityvehicles (including garden tractors and recreational vehicles), can beeasily loaded into the back load carrying portion of larger vehiclessuch as pickup trucks and cargo or minivans.

[0002] It is an additional objective of the present invention to providesuch a loading device that can be rolled up for easy and compact storagewhen the device is not in use and which is constructed in a manner andof a material that makes it light weight enough for almost allindividuals of a large variety of physical capabilities.

[0003] It is a further objective of the present invention to providesuch a loading device that, when in its unrolled and deployedorientation, is strong enough to easily support the weight of thevehicles and their occupants that are typically loaded and transportedin this manner.

[0004] It is a still further objective of the present invention toprovide such a loading device that is relatively simple and inexpensivein its design and construction which allows it to be used by averagepeople without the need for specialized tools or knowledge.

[0005] These objectives are accomplished by the use of a series ofinterlocking rectangular metallic or non-metallic links that arepivotally attached to one another at both of their longer sides. Byattaching enough of these links together in this fashion, a bridge-likestructure is created that can be used to span the gap between thesurface upon which a supplemental vehicle rests and the load bed of atransporting vehicle such as a pickup truck or van. This loading processis accomplished by placing one or more of these structures, dependingupon the number and orientation of the wheels on the supplementalvehicle, between the vehicle bed and ground or surface upon which thesupplemental vehicle rests, and then driving or pushing the supplementalvehicle up the ramp and into the transport vehicle. The unloading of thesupplemental vehicle is accomplished simply by reversing this process.

[0006] Once the loading or unloading is accomplished, the design of thepresent invention allows it to be rolled up into a compact cylindricalform that can be easily stored in a relatively small area or volume. Theindividual links of the present invention are specifically designed in amanner that allows for this rolling and unrolling process and alsoallows the ramp to be extended out and employed to span relatively largedistances and support a great deal of weight without the use ofadditional support structures. These attributes of the invention areaccomplished by the manner of construction of the surfaces of theindividual links where they are joined to one another and by the methodused to make the connections of the links.

[0007] Each individual link has on its forward and rearward facingsurfaces extending tab-like features which are hemispherically shapedand each laterally offset in a manner that allows them to be mated tocorresponding tabs on other links. Each of the tabs also contain acylindrical hole that passes laterally through it just behind thehemispherically shaped leading edge and which correspond in location toother such holes when the tabs are mated during the link joiningprocess. Therefore, when a plurality of links are placed end to end, theoffset tabs of one slide next to the tabs of its neighbor to the pointwhere their centrally located holes align. The connection of the twolinks is completed by passing a pressure fitted pin through this holewhich defines a pivotal axis between the links. This design allows eachof the individual links to pivot in relation to one another around thisaxis. This pivoting motion is the aspect of the present invention whichallows it to be rolled up for storage purposes.

[0008] The individual links of the invention are also designed to haltthe pivoting motion at the proper point as to form the bridge-like spanwhich is central to its purpose. This is accomplished by the design ofthe vertically oriented link contact surfaces of the links that make upthe span. These link contact surfaces are formed so that they areoriented at nearly right angles (they are actually slightly inwardlyoriented in relation to the body of the link) to the other surfaces ofthe link. The major importance of the design of the link contactsurfaces is the manner in which they interact with the link contactsurfaces of their neighboring links in the span of the invention. It isthis interaction of two link contact surfaces which provides loadbearing functions of the invention as the slight angle of theirconstruction imparts a slight upward bow or cumber to the span of theinvention when it is fully deployed which adds strength to the span.Additionally, the relationship between the location of the pivot point(at the lower surface of the links) and these link contact surfaces (atthe upper surface of the links) focuses the load carried by theinvention on to the link contact surfaces.

[0009] The individual links are also designed with an upper surfacewhich has both raised ridges for improved traction and plurality ofareas where material has been removed for weight reduction purposes.These features provide a ramp that is safe for people of all abilitiesto operate and one that can be easily handled and transported because ofits overall light weight while maintaining the structural rigiditynecessary to carry the loads it was designed for.

[0010] An optional hinging mechanism is also provided that allows thepresent invention to be stored in a folded orientation rather than therolled manner as described above. The need for this optional hingingmechanism is that the design of the primary pivot tabs limits theirinward travel. That is to say, when pivoting the individual linkstowards each other, the direct liking of the pivot tabs prohibits theneighboring links from completely folding to a parallel orientation withrespect to one another. While this design allows the invention to becompletely and easily rolled for storage, it does not allow it to befolded into two shorter and parallel spans for transport and storagepurposes.

[0011] To facilitate this folding function, an alternative pivoting linkmay be obtained which allows the user to create a 180° fold in the theramp span. The 180° hinge allows for this folding function by moving thepivot point between two neighboring links from the single pivot pointbetween the pivot tabs located at the lowest and outside points of eachlink, to two pivot points located on the center line of each link in aposition removed from the outside edge of the links which are thenspanned by a pivoting bracket. The use of the double pivot points tojoin two neighboring links allows those links to be folded in acompletely parallel manner which in turn allows the span of the presentinvention to be folded into two equal halves. This allows the inventionto be stored in this folded manner when space is not such a significantissue. Additionally, this method of storage allows the invention to bedeployed and stored more quickly which enhances its overall utility.

[0012] Additionally, the present invention can also be fitted with apowered winch-like device which can be employed by a user to pull awheelchair (or other wheeled vehicle) and its occupant up the incline ofthe ramp span. This optional device is useful for those individuals whodo not have a powered wheelchair and who are physically impaired to adegree that makes it difficult for them to manually drive the wheelchairup the incline of the invention. Therefore, the use of the powered chairlift assembly provides such individuals with a greater degree ofindependence as it allows them to gain access to areas that they wouldotherwise need the assistance of others to enter.

[0013] The powered chair lift assembly uses an electric motor to drive alarge and small pulley which each have the ends of a braided steel cableattached to them. This cable forms a loop which extends forward aroundan idler pulley positioned at the end of a bar extension. The idlerpulley allows the cable to be directed back over the body of the poweredchair lift assembly and down the ramp span to a position where it can beconnected to a wheelchair. Once this connection has been established,the user then remotely engages the electric motor which rotates thepulleys which acts to shorten the cable. This shortening of the cabledraws the attached wheelchair towards the powered chair lift assembly,thus, pulling the wheelchair and its occupant up the incline of the rampspan.

[0014] An additional optional feature is available for use with thepresent invention which consists of an elevated hand rail that can befitted to the existing components of the ramp span. The hand rail ismade of a relatively broad rail that is positioned at an appropriateheight by the use of a plurality of hand rail posts. The hand rail postsare constructed in such a manner so that their lower ends fit over thelink rails of the link body in a fashion that allows them to be easilybolted into a upright and ridged position. The upper portion of the handrail posts are similarly constructed so that they conform to the shapeof the lower surface of the hand rail which enables it to be easilyattached at this end as well. The use of the hand rail provides an extradegree of safety to those individuals who are able to walk but requirethe additional stability of a hand support while ascending or descendingan inclined surface.

[0015] A still further optional feature is available for use with thepresent invention which uses a double end plate arrangement to increasethe load carrying capacity of a deployed ramp span. In thisconfiguration a double end plate is attached to each outer surface ofthe ramp links. The double end plates are constructed in exactly thesame configuration as the outer surfaces of the ramp links and alsoconnect in sequence in the same fashion as the ramp links. Theconnection between the double end plates and the ramp links is made byremoving the pivot bolt holding the joined ramp links together, placinga double ramp link in such a location so that it matches the orientationof the underlying outer surface of the ramp link, and replacing thepivot bolt with a long pivot bolt which passes through the link pivottabs of both the double ramp link and the underlying ramp link.

[0016] Additionally, since the weakest point of a deployed ramp span islocated at its center portion, it will only be necessary to add thedouble end plates to those ramp links located at or near its center toincrease its load capacity by as much as a factor of 2. Thisconfiguration enhances the usefulness of the ramp span as it greatlyincreases its carrying capacity without affecting its roll-upcapabilities or significantly increasing its overall weight.

[0017] For a better understanding of the present invention referenceshould be made to the drawings and the description in which there areillustrated and described preferred embodiments of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention illustratingthe manner in which it is employed in conjunction with a minivan and theway a handicapped person employs it to gain access to the van.

[0019]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ramp link and foot componentsof the present invention detailing their manner of construction and theorientation of its major components in relation to one another.

[0020]FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of an individual ramp linkcomponent of the present invention detailing its manner of constructionand the location and orientation of the link pivot tabs.

[0021]FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an individual ramp linkcomponent of the present invention detailing its manner of constructionand the location and orientation of the link pivot tabs.

[0022]FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of an individual ramp linkcomponent of the present invention detailing its manner of constructionand the location and orientation of the link pivot tabs.

[0023]FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the pivotal connection madebetween two of the ramp link components of the present inventionillustrating the pivotal nature of the connection and the orientation ofthe related components.

[0024]FIG. 7 is a top elevation view of the pivotal connection madebetween two of the ramp link components of the present inventionillustrating the pivotal nature of the connection and the orientation ofthe related components and detailing the position of the pinchprotector.

[0025]FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the present invention in itsrolled configuration detailing its orientation during storage ortransport.

[0026]FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the pivotal connection madebetween two of the ramp link components of the present inventionillustrating the way the connection limits the pivoting travel of thetwo neighboring links.

[0027]FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention in which the pivotal attachment between two of itslinks is made by the use of a 180° hinge which is employed to allowneighboring links to be completely folded back on one another.

[0028]FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention using the 180° hinge and illustrating the mannerin which it allows the links to be completely folded back on oneanother.

[0029]FIG. 12 is a top elevation cut-away view of the alternativeembodiment of the present invention using the 180° hinge taken alongline 3 of FIG. 10 and details the manner of construction of the 180°hinge and the orientation of its major components.

[0030]FIG. 13 is a front elevation view of two parallel deployed rampspans of the present invention illustrating the use of a plurality ofcross braces that span the gap between two such ramp spans and serve toboth brace the invention as a whole and to stabilize the distancebetween two parallel ramp spans ensuring that they cannot move betweenuses.

[0031]FIG. 14 is a front elevation view of an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention which employs a ramp span that is constructed ofindividual ramp links of sufficient width to accommodate all of theintended vehicles with a single ramp span.

[0032]FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of the present inventionillustrating it as being equipped with an optional powered chair liftassembly which is used to pull the wheelchair or other supplementalvehicle up the incline of the invention's ramp spans.

[0033]FIG. 16 is a top elevation view of the powered chair lift assemblycomponent of the present invention illustrating the orientation of itsmajor components.

[0034]FIG. 17 is a side elevation view of the powered chair liftassembly of FIG. 16 illustrating the manner in which the cable isconnected to and operates in conjunction with the remaining relevantcomponents.

[0035]FIG. 18 is a front elevation view of the powered chair liftassembly of FIG. 16 and illustrates the positioning of the electricmotor and pulleys in relation to the remaining relevant components.

[0036]FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of the cable and pulleycomponents of the powered lift assembly of FIG. 16 and which illustratestheir general relationship and the manner in which they function toprovide the desired operation.

[0037]FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the present invention as equippedwith an optional component in which the ramp span is fitted with anelevated hand rail used to provide an extra degree of stability to theinvention's users.

[0038]FIG. 21 is a side elevation view of the lower mount component ofthe optional hand rail component of FIG. 20 and illustrates the methodused to connect the hand rail posts to the ramp span.

[0039]FIG. 22 is a front elevation cut-away view of the lower mountcomponent of the optional hand rail component of FIG. 20 taken alongline 2 and illustrates the method used to connect the lower portion ofthe hand rail post to the rail body of a ramp link.

[0040]FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of the upper mount component ofthe optional hand rail component of FIG. 20 and illustrates the methodused to attach the upper end of the hand rail post to the hand rail.

[0041]FIG. 24 is a front elevation cut-away view of the lower mountcomponent of the optional hand rail component of FIG. 20 taken alongline 3 and illustrates the method used to attach the upper end of thehand rail post to the hand rail.

[0042]FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a still further optionalcomponent of the present invention which uses a double end platearrangement to strengthen the ramp span when unrolled and deployed foruse.

[0043]FIG. 26 is a front elevation view of the optional component of theinvention detailed in FIG. 25 which illustrates the manner in which thedouble end plate arrangement is attached to the outside edges of theramp links of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0044] Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIGS. 1and 2, the roll up loading ramp 10 consists primarily of single ormultiple ramp spans 12 which are themselves made up of a plurality ofinterlocking rectangular metallic ramp links 14. These ramp links 14 arepivotally attached to one another at both of their front and rear longersides by the use of the link pivot tabs 44 and link pivot pin 46 or thepivot bolt 56 and locking pivot nut 58. In the case of the lower andupper ramp feet, 18 and 72, the connection to the neighboring ramp link14 is made by joining the foot pivot tab 42 to the corresponding linkpivot tab 44. By attaching a predetermined number of these ramp links 14together by the use of these components, a bridge-like ramp span 12 iscreated that can be used to span the gap between the surface upon whicha supplemental vehicle rests and the cargo floor of the illustrated van16 or other transporting vehicle.

[0045] The loading process by use of the present invention isaccomplished by placing one or more of these ramp span 12 structures,depending upon the number and orientation of the wheels on thesupplemental vehicle, between the floor in the van interior 28 of theillustrated van 16 and the ground. Once this is accomplished, thesupplemental vehicle is then loaded or unloaded by driving or pushingthe vehicle up the roll-up loading ramp 10 and into, or out of, the vaninterior 28. Once this is accomplished, the present invention is thensimply rolled up and stored in a convenient location until it is neededfor loading again.

[0046] The securement of the ramp spans 12 between the van's interior 28and the surface of the ground is accomplished by the use of the upperramp foot 72 and the lower ramp foot 18. The lower ramp foot 18 issimply a triangular shaped link having a flat side that is used toengage and hold the surface that the supplemental vehicle (in theillustrated case a wheelchair) is being unloaded on. Additionally, thelower ramp foot 18 also contains an angled foot surface 30 whichfunctions to provide a smooth transition from the ground surface to thelink surfaces 36 of the individual ramp links 14 that make up the lengthof the ramp span 12.

[0047] The upper end of the ramp span 12 also contains a specializedlink which is used to engage the surface of the floor of the van'sinterior 28. This type of link is known as the upper ramp foot 72 and isoften made from a magnetic material which bonds to a metallic surfaceinside the van's door 26. The upper ramp foot 72 is also triangular inshape with its pointed end oriented in a forward manner in relation tothe other ramp links 14 and which is attached to the upper most link inthe ramp span 12 in the same manner as the ramp links 14. Like the lowerramp foot 18 described below, the design of the upper ramp foot 72 alsoserves to smooth the transition from the surface of the ramp span 12 tothe interior of the van 16.

[0048] With the present invention thus deployed, a user (in the instantcase a handicapped individual 20) can direct the wheels 24 of hiswheelchair 22 (or any other wheel vehicle) onto the link surfaces 36between the link rails 38 of the ramp span 12. This allows him to bothfreely leave and gain access to the van's interior 28 in a manner thathe would be otherwise unable to accomplish without the aid of anotherindividual. Thus, the use of the present invention provides handicappedindividuals 20 with a method by which they can gain access to vehiclesor other raised areas that would ordinarily require the assistance ofothers. Additionally, the present invention can also be employed toprovide able-bodied individuals with a means by which they can load andunload wheeled vehicles from other transport vehicles that wouldnormally require the assistance of one or more additional people.

[0049] The individual ramp links 14 of the present invention aredesigned in a manner that provides a more than adequate amount ofstrength to both the ramp links 14 individually and to the ramp span 12as a whole while retaining features that ensures its overall weight belight enough to allow for its use by people of a wide degree of physicalcapabilities. The light weight requirement of the present invention ismet by the use of strong yet lightweight materials, such as aluminumand/or its related alloys, in it's construction and by the incorporationof a large number of weight reduction holes 34 in its surfaces that havethe effect of reducing the total amount of material used in theconstruction of the present invention. This reduction of constructionmaterial has the effect of lessening the overall weight of the presentinvention without reducing its structural integrity.

[0050] The ramp spans 12 can also be equipped with the optional pinchprotectors 40 which are removable features that span the areas betweenthe upper most surfaces of the neighboring ramp links 14 and ensure thatnothing can become pinched between these surfaces during the deploymentoperations. The pinch protectors 40 are attached to the ramp links 14 bysnapping them to the protruding head of the pivot bolt 56 from wherethey extend up to form a hood over the joining link rails 38 onneighboring ramp links 14. Additionally, both the foot and linksurfaces, 30 and 36, are equipped with a plurality of parallel gripridges 32 extending from side to side of these surfaces and serve bothto strengthen the ramp links 14 and to provide additional traction tothe vehicle being loaded or unloaded.

[0051] Once the loading or unloading processes is accomplished, thedesign of the present invention allows it to be rolled up into a compactform that can be easily stored in a relatively small area which isclearly illustrated in FIG. 8. This FIGURE illustrates the manner inwhich the individual ramp links 14 of the ramp span 12 are rolled aroundthe lower ramp foot 18 in a spiral fashion which terminates at the upperramp foot 72. The rolled ramp 62 forms a relatively compact structurewhich can be stored within the van's interior 28 in the position andorientation which interferes the least with the operator's other needs.

[0052] The individual ramp links 14 of the present invention arespecifically designed in a manner that both facilitates this rollingability and which provides the structural integrity for the invention tooperate as designed and these features are further detailed in FIGS. 3,4, and 5. Each individual ramp link 14 is composed primarily of the linkbody 50 which forms the basis upon which the remaining components of theramp links 14 are built. The link pivot tabs 44 are positioned on thelink body 50 on each of its four lowest corners. The two link pivot tabs44 located on the same side of the ramp link 14 are laterally offset toone direction with reference to the line created by the outside edge ofthe link body 50 and which is defined by the link rails 38. Conversely,the two link pivot tabs 44 located on the opposite side of the link body50 are similarly offset but to the opposite direction. This method ofconstruction produces corresponding pairs of link pivot tabs 44 onneighboring ramp links 14 that can be positioned next to each other whenjoining them to form a ramp span 12. Additionally, each link pivot tab44 contains a pivot pin hole 52 that passes completely through them. Theconnection of two neighboring ramp links 14 is completed by passing alink pivot bolt 56 through the pivot pin hole 52. This design allowseach of the individual ramp links 14 to pivot in relation to one anotheraround the axis that is formed by the insertion of the link pivot pin46. This pivoting motion of the individual ramp links 14 is the aspectof the present invention which allows it to be rolled up for storagepurposes and also to be unrolled for loading purposes.

[0053] As stated above, the link body 50 is also equipped with aplurality of weight reduction holes 34 which function to lessen theoverall weight of the present invention without affecting its strength.Additionally, the link body 50 also contains similarly looking holes inits outer vertical surfaces known as the 180° pivot attachment slots 48which serve the dual purposes of weight reduction and to provide thepoint of attachment for an alternative hinging apparatus that will bemore fully discussed below.

[0054] The link body 50 also provides the point at which the linkcontact surfaces 54 are positioned at the most outside edges of the linkrails 38. These link contact surfaces 54 are the components of thepresent invention that limit the ramp links 14 outward travel during theunrolling process. The link contact surfaces 54 are also designed in amanner that allows them to carry the weight of both the ramp span 12 andany vehicle using it for loading or unloading purposes when theinvention is in use. Additionally, the link contact surfaces 54 of eachramp link 14 are flat but formed with a slight inwardly oriented angleof about 1° (in relation to the link surface 36 of the ramp links 14)which interacts with the corresponding link contact surfaces 54 of theneighboring ramp link 14 during the attachment process. This slightangle is important to the function of the present invention as itimparts a slight arch to the ramp span 12 when it is extended forloading and unloading purposes. This arch increases the horizontalstrength of the ramp span 12 and allows the present invention to be usedin conjunction with relatively heavy loads.

[0055] Additionally, the positioning of the pivot pin hole 52 inrelation to the link surfaces 36 and the link contact surfaces 54 isimportant to the overall operation of the present invention. Thisrelationship creates a contact distance (the distance between the centerof the pivot pin hole 52 and the link surfaces 36) on the link contactsurfaces 54 which are the components of two neighboring ramp links 14that come together when the ramp spans 12 are extended for use. Theimportant aspect of the contact distance is that the overall strength ofthe ramp span 12 is dependant upon this relationship between the pivotpin holes 52 and the link contact surfaces 54. Therefore, the greaterthe contact distance used on the individual ramp links 14, the greaterthe strength of the ramp span 12 once it has been unrolled and deployedfor use.

[0056] The function and design of the link pivot tabs 44 and theirrelated components are further detailed in FIGS. 6 and 7 whichillustrate the relationship of link pivot tabs 44 on neighboring ramplinks 14 and the manner in which they operate to allow the ramp links topivot in relation to one another. The lateral offset of the link pivottabs 44 is clearly illustrated and shows how this offset allows them tobe joined along a common line. This joining operation is accomplished bypassing a pivot bolt 56 through the body of the neighboring link pivottabs 44 and securing it there by the use of a locking pivot nut 58 beingplaced on the opposite side. The use of the locking pivot nut 58 allowsfor the secure attachment at this point in a manner that the connectionis loose enough to allow the joined ramp links 14 to pivot freely inrelation to one another. This method of connection is pivotal to thefunction of the present invention as it allows it to be freely rolledand unrolled for its designed functions.

[0057] These FIGURES also illustrate the relationship of two neighboringlink contact surfaces 54 during the rolling or unrolling processes aswell as giving an idea of the distance between the link contact surfaceand the line created by the pivot bolt that adds strength to the rampspan 12 as described above. Additionally, these FIGURES also illustratethe nature and location of the link gap 60 which is the distance leftbetween the individual link surfaces 36 when the ramp links 14 areunrolled to create a ramp span 12. The link gap 60 functions much likethe weight reduction holes 34 to reduce the overall weight of thepresent invention without impacting its structural integrity. Finally,these FIGURES also further illustrate the positioning of the pinchprotector 40 between neighboring ramp links 14.

[0058] An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustratedin FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 which detail the use of the 180° pivotattachment bracket 66 in conjunction with two neighboring ramp links 14.The feature of the previous embodiment of the invention that makes theuse of the 180° pivot attachment bracket 66 necessary is illustrated inFIG. 9 which shows how a pivot contact point 64 is created between twojoined link pivot tabs 44 when rolling the invention up for storage ortransport purposes. The pivot contact point 64 limits the ability of twojoined ramp links 14 to be folded in on one another which means that thebottom surfaces of the ramp links 14 could never be folded to a parallelorientation. The use of the 180° pivot attachment bracket 66 allows thisfolding to be accomplished which gives the present invention the abilityto be folded in half for transport or storage. This ability adds afurther degree of flexibility to the use of the invention as it providesan alternative configuration for storage or transport that is botheasier and which can be accomplished more quickly than the previousembodiment.

[0059] The 180° pivot attachment bracket 66 is made up of a pivotbracket 68 which spans the joint between neighboring ramp links 14 andis pivotally connected at each end by the use of the bracket bolts 70which pivotally fix it to a pivot bracket attachment plate 74 located inthe side of the link body 50 of each ramp link 14. The pivot bracketattachment plates 74 are simply specifically designed metallic platesthat are designed to slip into the 180° pivot attachment slots 48 in thevertical side of the link body 50 from the inside of the ramp link to apoint where their outside surface is flush with the outside surface ofthe link body 50. The 180° pivot attachment slots 48 are equipped withbracket bolt holes 88 that allow the bracket bolts 70 to pass through tofacilitate the attachment of the pivot bracket attachment plate 74. Theattachment process is completed by the use of the locking bracket nuts78 which provide a secure connection between these components whileallowing them to pivot freely relative to one another. Additionally, thepivot bracket attachment plate 74 is also equipped with bolt recesses 80which allow the heads of the bracket bolts 70 to be flush with theoutside surface of the pivot bracket attachment plate 74 when fullyattached. This design feature allows this embodiment of the presentinvention to operate seamlessly with components, such as the pinchprotectors 40, that were originally designed for the previousembodiment.

[0060] When the ramp links 14 are extended to form the ramp span 12, the180° pivot attachment bracket 66 and the link pivot pin 46, which iscomposed of a pin body 82, a pin shoulder 84 and a pin shaft 86, allowsthe ramp span 12 to function as previously described. The purpose of thelink pivot pin 46 is to join the link pivot tabs 44 of two neighboringramp links 14 in the same fashion as described above for the pivot bolt56. The primary difference is that the link pivot pin 46 is not threadedand does not make use of a nut to secure it in place. Rather, the linkpivot pin 46 is held in place by the friction created around it by theconnection of the ramp links 14 and the use of the ramp span 12 as thepin shaft 86 fits snugly into the pivot pin holes 52 and the pinshoulder 84 engages the hemispherically shaped bracket pin slot 76located in the center of the lower surface of the pivot bracketattachment plate 74. Thus, with the link pivot pin 46 in place, the rampspan 12 functions as normal allowing for its use for loading andunloading.

[0061] Conversely, the removal of the link pivot pin 46 allows each endof the pivot bracket 68 to pivot freely around its connection to therespective pivot bracket attachment plate 74. This effectively moves thepivot point between the two neighboring ramp links 14 from the singleline defined by the location of the pivot pin holes 52, to a pair ofpivot points defined by the location of the bracket bolt holes 88. Thenet effect of this change is that it allows the two neighboring ramplinks 14 to be completely folded in upon one another so that theirbottom surfaces are completely parallel. The resulting parallelconfiguration allows a ramp span 12 to be folded in half for storage ortransport thereby making the use of the present invention easier whenspace is not an issue.

[0062] An optional component of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 13 and comprises a ramp cross brace 90. The ramp cross brace 90 isa bar-like component made to span the gap between two parallel rampspans 12 when the roll-up loading ramp 10 is deployed. The ramp crossbraces 90 are primarily used to stabilize the orientation of a pair ofdeployed ramp spans 12 in relation to one another. Additionally, the useof the ramp cross brace 90 has the secondary benefit of strengtheningthe invention as a whole when it is deployed because it creates a singlebroader based structure by tying two ramp spans 12 together than one canachieve with two separate ramp spans 12. Therefore, the use of the rampcross brace 90 provides an additional measure of safety to the use ofthe present invention due to its strengthening and stabilizingcharacteristics.

[0063] The ramp cross brace 90 is designed in such a manner that allowsit to be locked into place on both of its outside edges over the uppersurfaces of the link rails 38. To lock two parallel ramp links 14together, the user simply places the ramp cross brace 90 over the insidelink rails 38 of two sequentially identical ramp links 14 on either rampspan 12 and presses down to lock it. Additionally, the user can placeany number of the ramp cross braces 90 between the parallel ramp spans12, the number of which is generally determined by the length of theramp spans 12 in use, in any location above the lower ramp foot 18. As aresult of its design and the ease of installation and removal, the useof the ramp cross brace 90 does not significantly interfere with theoverall use of the present invention and its designed purposes.

[0064] An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustratedin FIG. 14 in which a ramp span 12 is constructed by the use of aplurality of wide ramp links 15 and a wide ramp foot 19 resulting in awide ramp span 92 (the upper end of the wide ramp span 92 must also befitted with a corresponding wide ramp). The result of the use of thewide ramp links 15 is a single ramp span 12 that is roughly equivalentin its width to the two parallel ramp spans 12 used in the previousembodiment. The use of the wide ramp span 92 creates a more stableincline surface without the need for supplemental bracing devices.However, the addition of material in relation to the previous embodimentmeans that the wide ramp span 92 is relatively heavy. Due to thischaracteristic, the wide ramp span is most often used in situationswhere its weight is not of particular importance such as more permanentinstallments.

[0065] An additional optional component for use with all of thedescribed embodiments of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS.15, 16, 17, and 18 which detail the manner of construction and operationof a the powered lift assembly 94. The powered lift assembly 94 is usedwith a deployed ramp span 12 to provide a means by which a wheelchair,or other supplemental vehicle, can be moved up the incline of theinvention without requiring the user to do so manually. The use of thiscomponent allows certain individuals access to elevated areas withouthaving to get the assistance of additional people.

[0066] The powered lift assembly 94 is built on a mount cross brace 110which is designed in a similar manner as the previously described rampcross brace 90 that has been specially designed to provide a mountingpoint of the remaining components of the powered lift assembly 94. Inthis design, the mount cross brace 110 is designed in such a manner thatallows it to be fitted and connected in the same manner as a ramp crossbrace 90 between the upper most sections of two parallel ramp spans 12.In the case of the wide ramp span 92, a specialized wide ramp link 15that will accommodate the inclusion of the powered lift assembly 94 in amanner that does not interfere with the normal operation of the wideramp span 92. Thus, the mount cross brace 110 has the same features thatallow it to connect to the link rails 38 and also the weight savingfeatures such as the weight reduction holes 34 that limit the overallweight of the invention while adding a stabilizing and strengtheningfactor similar to the ramp cross brace 90.

[0067] The mount cross brace 110 has attached to its rearward facingvertical face an assembly mount plate 104 which is the mounting pointfor the electric motor 96 and its related components. The electric motor96 itself is attached here by the use of the motor mount bracket 112which can be manufactured in any number of fashions but is illustratedas a section of angle iron attached on its horizontal surface to theelectric motor 96 and on its vertical surface to the motor mount bracket112. The electric motor 96 has the motor shaft 120 extending outwardfrom its inside edge which engages the large pulley 114 and small pulley116 which are in turn also attached to the assembly mount plate 104 bythe use of the pulley mount 118. The electric motor 96 is used to drivethe large and small pulleys, 114 and 116, which in turn control theprimary operations of the powered lift assembly 94.

[0068] The large and small pulleys, 114 and 116, also serve as the placeof attachment for both ends of the cable 102. The cable 102 is thecomponent of the powered lift assembly 94 that transfers the rotationalpower of the electric motor 96 and the large and small pulleys, 114 and116, to the lineal force necessary to pull objects up the incline of theramp span 12. For this purpose, the cable 102 extends forward from thelarge and small pulleys, 114 and 116, through the cable hole 122 in theassembly mount plate 104. From this point, the two sections of the cable102 extend forward to the point where they engage and encircle the idlerpulley 100 which in turn redirects the cable 102 back down the rampspans 12 where it terminates at the chair attachment 108.

[0069] The forward face of the mount cross brace 110 has extendingforward the idler pulley extension 98. The idler pulley extension 98serves to provide a mounting point for the idler pulley 100 and extendsforward from the terminus of the ramp span 12 along the landing surface106 which is either the floor of the van 16 or the floor of the buildingthat the user is employing the invention to gain access to. The idlerpulley is rotationally mounted at a point within the end of the idlerpulley extension 98.

[0070] This placement of the idler pulley 100 forward on the landingsurface 106 accomplishes two purposes that are central to the operationof the powered lift assembly 94. The first of these is to place thepoint of draw for the cable 102 far enough forward in relation to theramp spans 12 so that it can pull the wheelchair fully onto the landingsurface 106 so that the wheelchair 22, or other supplemental vehicle,can be disconnected with its wheels firmly on the landing surface 106,thereby eliminating the danger of it rolling back down the ramp spans12. Additionally, the placement of the idler pulley 100 also enhancesthe overall leverage of the system which increases the performance ofthe powered lift assembly 94.

[0071] The major operational components and their method of operationare further detailed in FIG. 19 which illustrates the manner in whichthe cable 102 interacts with the large and small pulleys, 114 and 116,the idler pulley 100, and the chair attachment 108. As previouslystated, either end of the cable 102 is attached to the large and smallpulley, 114 and 116, respectively. This forms a loop of the cable 102which extends over the idler pulley 100 and around the chair attachment108. When the large and small pulley, 114 and 116, are rotationallydriven in a clockwise manner, each end of the cable 102 is wrappedaround its respective pulley. This has the effect of shortening the loopin the cable 102 which in turn draws the chair attachment 108 towardsthe idler pulley 100. Thus, a clockwise rotation of the large and smallpulleys, 114 and 116, operates to pull anything connected to the chairattachment 108 up the incline of the ramp spans 12. Conversely, acounter clockwise rotation of the large and small pulleys, 114 and 116,will unwrap the cable 102 which in turn lengthens the loop and allowsthe chair attachment 108 to retreat from the idler pulley 100. Thisallows for the controlled lowering of vehicles down the ramp spans 12and for the positioning of the chair attachment for future use.

[0072] An additional optional component for use with the presentinvention is illustrated in FIG. 20 which illustrates the use of a ramphand rail 124 in conjunction with a ramp span 12 of the presentinvention (for illustrative purposes FIG. 20 illustrates the use of theramp hand rail 124 with the wide ramp 92 of FIG. 14 and being attachedto the link rails 38 of the wide ramp links 15 and wide ramp foot 19.However, the ramp hand rail 124 is capable of being fixed in the samemanner to the narrower ramp links 14 used in the primary embodiment ofthe present invention). The use of the ramp hand rail 124 provides anextra degree of stability to those individuals require hand support oninclined surfaces.

[0073] The ramp hand rail 124 is made up of the hand rail 125 whichextends the length of the ramp span 12 in a vertically extended positionat an appropriate height above the upper surface of the wide ramp links15. The suspension of the hand rail 125 at the correct height isaccomplished through the use of a plurality of hand rail posts 126 whichare generally evenly spaced down the length of the ramp span 12 and thehand rail 125. The hand rail posts 126 are generally made up ofcylindrical metallic posts (or any other suitable combination ofmaterial and form) which are configured on their lower ends in such amanner so that their profile exactly mirrors the shape of the outersurface of the link body 50. This design allows the hand rail posts 126to fit tightly over the link rails 38 of the ramp links 14 of thepresent invention.

[0074] The manner in which the connection between the hand rail posts126 and the link rails 38 is further illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22. Theattachment is made by the use of the upper and lower mount bolts, 128and 130, which pass from the outside of the lower portion of the handrail posts 126, through their interior, then through weight reductionholes 34 in the link rails 38 and the 180° pivot attachment slot 48 ofthe link body 50 respectively. After the upper and lower mount bolts,128 and 130, have been positioned correctly, they are secured in placeby the use of the bolt nuts 132. Additionally, the gap in the interiorof the hand rail posts 126 created by the cylindrical configuration ofthe hand rail posts 126 and the flat configuration of the link body 50is compensated for by the insertion of the outer lower mount spacer 134and the inner lower mount spacer 136. The outer lower mount spacer 134fills in the gap between the inner wall of the hand rail posts 126 andthe outer walls of the link rails 38 and the link body 50. Conversely,the inner lower mount spacer 136 fills in the gap between the inner wallof the hand rail posts 126 and the inner surface of the link rail 38.The use of the outer and inner lower mount spacers, 134 and 136, ensuresthat the connection between the hand rail posts 126 and the ramp links14 is solid with no play between the components. This is an importantfeature of the ramp hand rail 124 as it is necessary to provide a stablebase if the hand rail 125 is to provide the extra measure of safety thatit is designed for.

[0075] The upper portion of the hand rail posts 126 is connected to thehand rail T-body 138 in a similar fashion. The hand rail T-body 138 is arectangularly shaped ridge that protrudes from the lower surface of thehand rail 125. The connection between the upper portion of the hand railposts 126 to the hand rail T-body 138 is facilitated by its slotteddesign to mirror the shape of the hand rail T-body and the hand railmount bolt 140 which passes from the outside of the upper portion of thehand rail posts 126, through their interior, then through the hand railinner and outer spacers, 142 and 144, and the body of the hand railT-body 138, and finally out the other side of the hand rail posts 126.As with the outer and inner lower mount spacers, 134 and 136, the handrail inner and outer spacers, 142 and 144, ensure a solid connection atthe junction of the hand rail 125 and the hand rail posts 126. After thehand rail mount bolt 140 has been thus positioned, it is secured inplace by the use of a bolt nut 132. This design fixes the hand rail 125in the desired position along the top of the plurality of hand railposts 126 which provides the desired additional hand support structurefor users of the present invention who require extra support whilenegotiating inclined surfaces.

[0076] A still further optional component for the present invention isillustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26 which detail the use of a double endplate 146 which can be added to outside surfaces of existing ramp links14 to strengthen the load carrying capacity of ramp spans 12. The doubleend plate 146 is simply a reproduction of the outer surface of the linkbody 50 containing all of its components such as the weight reductionholes 34, the link rails 38, the link pivot tabs 44, the 180° pivotattachment slot 48, and the pivot pin holes 52. This design of thedouble end plate 146 allows a plurality of them to be easily fixed tothe outer surface of the link body 50 on an existing ramp span 12. Thisattachment is accomplished by removing the existing link pivot pin 46and placing the double end plate 146 over the outer surface of the linkbody 50 in such a manner so that link pivot tabs 44 and the pivot pinholes 52 exactly line up with one another. Once this step has beenaccomplished, the link pivot tabs 44 used to tie the ramp links 14 ofthe original ramp span 12 together are replaced by a plurality of longpivot pins 148 that are long enough to pass through the multiple layersof link pivot tabs 44.

[0077] This method of attachment for the double end plate 146 allows theuser to selectively place additional support on specific areas of a rampspan 12 to increase its load carrying capacity. This is an importantfeature of this option as it provides a mechanism by which the weakestportion of the ramp span 12, its center, can be strengthened withoutaffecting the roll-up capability of the present invention or withoutsignificantly increasing its weight. The strengthening or the ramp span12 provides a greater degree of flexibility to the use of the presentinvention as it allows for the implantation of longer ramp spans 12 orfor existing ones to carry a greater load.

[0078] Although the present invention has been described in considerabledetail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, otherversions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims should not be limited to the description of the preferredversions contained herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A loading ramp made up of a plurality ofsubstantially rectangular links, said ramp device formed such that saidplurality of rectangular links may be placed in a substantially circularcoil, each of said rectangular links comprising: a rectangular linksurface having an upper link surface and a lower link surface, a leftand a right outer edge and a front and rear outer edge; a first linkbody formed on a first link body plane said first link body having afirst link pivot tab on a plane behind said first link body plane and asecond link pivot tab on a plane in front of said first link body plane;a second link body formed on a second link body plane said second linkbody having a first link pivot tab on a plane behind said second linkbody plane and a second link pivot tab on a plane in front of saidsecond link body plane; said first link body being fixedly attached tosaid rectangular link surface along said left edge of said link suchthat said first links first and second pivot tabs extend forward andrearward respectively of said rectangular link surface's front and rearouter edge, said second link body being fixedly attached to saidrectangular link surface along said right edge of said link such thatsaid seconds links first and second pivot tabs extend forward andrearward respectively of said rectangular link surface's front and rearouter edge; and said first and second link body being orientated withrespect to said rectangular link surface such that said pivot tabsextending forward of said rectangular links front edge are biased in thesame direction and pivot tabs extending rearward of said rectangularlinks rear edge are biased in the same direction opposite of saidforward extending pivot tabs.
 2. A loading ramp as in claim 1 whereineach of said pivot tabs further comprises a pivot pin hole formed bysaid pivot tab.
 3. A loading ramp as in claim 2 wherein said pluralityof rectangular links are joined front edge to rear edge by attaching thepivot tabs extending forward of a rectangular link surface to the pivottabs of the of a rectangular link surface extending rearward of saidrectangular links rear edge with a plurality of pivot pins such thateach of said rectangular links my pivot with respect to the otherrectangular links and form an elongate loading ramp with a first andsecond end.
 4. A loading ramp as in claim 3 further comprising furthercomprising a contact surface on each link body such that the degree ofpivot with respect to an adjacent link body is limited by said contactsurface contacting the contact surface of said adjacent link body.
 5. Aloading ramp as in claim 5 further comprising a first and second rampfoot said ramp feet being substantially wedge shaped such that when saidfirst and second ramp feet are attached to said first and second ends ofsaid elongate ramp they form a first and second tapered end to saidelongate ramp.
 6. A loading ramp as in claim 5 further comprising a leftand right pivot bracket attached to the left and right side ofrespectively of adjacent link bodies such that said link pivot pins maybe removed allowing adjacent links to pivot lower link surface to lowerlink surface.
 7. A loading ramp as in claim 6 further comprising a pinchprotector attached to each pivot pin said pinch protector extendingupward so as to cover each contact surface.
 8. A loading ramp as inclaim 7 further comprising a ramp hand rail attached to said elongateramp
 9. A loading ramp as in claim 8 further comprising a powered liftassembly attached to said elongate loading ramp said lift assemblyhaving motor and cable assembly so that said cable assembly may wound bysaid motor so as to drag an object up said elongate loading ramp.
 10. Aloading ramp made up of a plurality of substantially rectangular links,said ramp device formed such that said plurality of rectangular linksmay be placed in various shapes for storage, each of said rectangularlinks comprising: a rectangular link surface having an upper linksurface and a lower link surface, a left and a right outer edge and afront and rear outer edge; a first link body formed on a first link bodyplane said first link body having a first link pivot tab on a planebehind said first link body plane and a second link pivot tab on a planein front of said first link body plane and a first and second contactsurface; a second link body formed on a second link body plane saidsecond link body having a first link pivot tab on a plane behind saidsecond link body plane and a second link pivot tab on a plane in frontof said second link body plane and a first and second contact surface;said first link body being fixedly attached to said rectangular linksurface along said left edge of said link such that said first linksfirst and second pivot tabs extend forward and rearward respectively ofsaid rectangular link surface's front and rear outer edge, said secondlink body being fixedly attached to said rectangular link surface alongsaid right edge of said link such that said seconds links first andsecond pivot tabs extend forward and rearward respectively of saidrectangular link surface's front and rear outer edge; said first andsecond link body being orientated with respect to said rectangular linksurface such that said pivot tabs extending forward of said rectangularlinks front edge are biased in the same direction and pivot tabsextending rearward of said rectangular links rear edge are biased in thesame direction opposite of said forward extending pivot tabs; and apivot pin hole formed by each of said pivot tabs.
 11. A loading ramp asin claim 10 wherein said plurality of rectangular links are joined frontedge to rear edge by attaching the pivot tabs extending forward of arectangular link surface to the pivot tabs of the of a rectangular linksurface extending rearward of said rectangular links rear edge with aplurality of pivot pins such that each of said rectangular links mypivot with respect to the other rectangular links and form an elongateloading ramp with a first and second end.
 12. A loading ramp as in claim11 wherein the degree of pivot with respect to an adjacent link body islimited by said contact surface contacting the contact surface of saidadjacent link body.
 13. A loading ramp as in claim 12 further comprisinga first and second ramp foot said ramp feet being substantially wedgeshaped such that when said first and second ramp feet are attached tosaid first and second ends of said elongate ramp they form a first andsecond tapered end to said elongate ramp.
 14. A loading ramp as in claim13 wherein said ramp may be rolled into a coil shape for storage.
 15. Aloading ramp as in claim 14 further comprising a left and right pivotbracket attached to the left and right side of respectively of adjacentlink bodies such that said link pivot pins may be removed allowingadjacent links to pivot lower link surface to lower link surface.
 16. Aloading ramp as in claim 15 further comprising a pinch protectorattached to each pivot pin said pinch protector extending upward so asto cover each contact surface.
 17. A loading ramp as in claim 16 furthercomprising a ramp hand rail attached to said elongate ramp
 18. A loadingramp as in claim 16 further comprising a powered lift assembly attachedto said elongate loading ramp said lift assembly having motor and cableassembly so that said cable assembly may wound by said motor so as todrag an object up said elongate loading ramp.